1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electrodeposition method, and is directed more particularly to a method of electrodepositing metal or alloy by fusion electrolysis.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In Japanese Patent Nos. 212 080, 229 381, 294 943 and 726 754, electrodeposition methods using fused salt electrolysis were disclosed by the same inventors of the present invention and et al., in which methods the shape or contour of electrodeposited materials can be controlled as required, for example, made as a plate or block by utilizing electrolytic polarization.
With the above prior art electrodeposition methods, however, especially when a rotating cathode is used, a stationary flow pattern is apt to be caused in electrolyte on or adjacent to the surface of the cathode. This limits the range of electrolytic conditions over which good electrodeposition can be achieved, and in particular limits the time for which electrodeposition can be continued.
When the electrolytic conditions remain unchanged for a long time, traces are apt to be formed on the electrodeposited surface by the stationary flow pattern of the electrolyte and also projections are grown on the electrodeposited surface along the traces. This may be because when the electrolytic conditions are unchanged for a long time, the viscosity of a layer of polarized electrolyte on or adjacent to the cathode surface becomes different from that of the body of the electrolyte.
With the methods of all the above-mentioned Japanese patents electrodeposited material can grow well only in the layer of polarized electrolyte, so it does not grow well near projections where the layer of polarized electrolyte is easily removed.